Vietnam, Azerbaijan eye expansion of economic, technological ties

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam on January 26 received a delegation of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) led by its Deputy Chairman and Head of the Central Office Tahir Budagov, who visited Vietnam to congratulate the CPV on the successful organisation of its 14th National Congress.

Budagov conveyed congratulations from Azerbaijani President and YAP Chairman Ilham Aliyev, as well as from the YAP leadership, to the CPV and to General Secretary To Lam on his re-election. He said the outcome of the congress reflected the Vietnamese people’s strong confidence in the CPV’s leadership and policies, as well as in the General Secretary’s significant contributions, Caliber.Az reports per People's Army Newspaper. 

The YAP official expressed admiration for Vietnam’s rapid socio-economic development in recent years, noting the country’s high growth rate—among the world’s fastest—and the steady improvement in living standards.

He voiced confidence that under the CPV’s clear-sighted leadership, Vietnam will successfully implement the policies and guidelines adopted by the congress, achieve its set goals, further enhance its international standing, and become a leading developed country in the region with an important global role.

Budagov highlighted the significance of General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to Azerbaijan in May 2025, describing it as opening a new phase in the development of the traditional friendship and Strategic Partnership between the two countries. He reaffirmed the YAP’s consistent support for strengthening Vietnam–Azerbaijan relations across all fields and through various channels, and said Azerbaijani authorities will work closely with Vietnam to implement agreements reached by the two sides’ top leaders during the visit.

For his part, General Secretary To Lam thanked the leadership of the YAP and Azerbaijan for their warm sentiments and good wishes toward the Vietnamese people, the CPV, and himself personally. He briefed the delegation on the main outcomes of the 14th National Congress, stressing that the event set orientations, tasks, and measures for the next five years, while also deciding strategic issues related to Vietnam’s future development in a new era.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed major milestones in bilateral relations, including President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Azerbaijan in 1959, late Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev’s visit to Vietnam in 1983, and subsequent exchanges of high-level delegations.

They agreed to support cooperation between governments, ministries, agencies, and localities of both countries, with a view to strengthening ties in traditional areas such as economy and trade, energy and oil and gas, education and training, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, while expanding cooperation into new fields including science and technology, the green economy, and the digital economy.

On the occasion, General Secretary To Lam asked Budagov to convey his greetings, appreciation, and an invitation to President Ilham Aliyev to visit Vietnam in the near future.

By Sabina Mammadli